Chapter 2228: Chapter 1918: Is This Your Father’s Will?

The Empress Dowager’s palace.

Blue smoke curled around the chamber. The beautiful Empress Dowager leaned on the soft couch, supporting her forehead with her hand, lost in thought.

After a while, Pei Shuhua finally opened her mouth to inquire about the news reported by the guard in the hall.

"Are you sure it’s Princess Yun’an’s sword?"

The guard immediately replied, "We cannot be certain for now, but the sword case carried by Princess Yun’an’s maid is indeed used to store the Evil-slaying Sword. Moreover, spies from the Princess Mansion have also confirmed that the Evil-slaying Sword is currently not by Princess Yun’an’s side, so the rumors are likely true."

Pei Shuhua was somewhat puzzled. Why would Ji Yunmeng choose this moment to send her own sword to the Zhen Nan Prince Manor?

Ji Yunmeng is not a fool. Doesn’t she know the attitude of the Zhou royal family towards the Zhen Nan Prince Manor?

When facing the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, the entire Zhou royal family stood united, whether it be the puppet emperor in the palace or herself as the Empress Dowager, both wished for the alien king of Zhen Nan Prince Manor to disappear completely from Dazhou.

Ji Yunmeng, being the first princess among Emperor Zhou’s children to be titled, should be assisting the emperor instead of sending her sword to the heir of Prince Zhen Nan.

The Evil-slaying Sword is no ordinary sword; to send her sword is undoubtedly to declare her stance in support of the Zhen Nan Prince Manor.

A royal princess, and yet she sides with the Zhen Nan Prince Manor?

At this moment, Pei Shuhua spoke up, "Summon Princess Yun’an to the palace."

Pei Shuhua was eager to know what exactly Ji Yunmeng was thinking, how she could do such a thing. She even suspected that this might be orchestrated by Emperor Zhou.

Could Emperor Zhou have some new conspiracy? Still not content?

The unusual actions of Ji Yunmeng certainly warranted attention.

The guard immediately replied, "Yes, Empress Dowager."

...

Two hours later, Ji Yunmeng appeared in Pei Shuhua’s palace. Upon entering, Ji Yunmeng took a glance at Pei Shuhua, who was sitting on the soft couch, before bowing and saying, "Your granddaughter pays respects to the Imperial Grandmother."

Pei Shuhua replied indifferently, "Rise."

After completing her greeting, Ji Yunmeng directly asked, "I wonder for what reason the Imperial Grandmother summoned her granddaughter?"

Pei Shuhua asked directly, "I heard you gave your Evil-slaying Sword to the heir of Prince Zhen Nan? Is this true?"

Knowing she couldn’t conceal this matter, as Lu Chen would eventually use the Evil-slaying Sword, Ji Yunmeng had no intention of hiding it. She needed people to know her allegiance with the Zhen Nan Prince Manor to advance her future plans.

Once the Zhen Nan Prince Manor overcomes this crisis, it would be seen as aligned with her in the eyes of others, making it easier for her to control the prominent noble families in the south.

Ji Yunmeng answered truthfully, "It is true."

As soon as Ji Yunmeng finished speaking, Pei Shuhua slammed the soft couch and scolded, "Foolish!"

"Do you even know what you’re doing!"

"As a member of the royal family, you’re siding with an alien king. Don’t you know that your father’s wish has always been to eliminate the Zhen Nan Prince Manor?"

Upon hearing these words, Ji Yunmeng responded with neither humility nor arrogance, "Granddaughter wishes to ask the Imperial Grandmother, is it my father who wants to eliminate the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, or is it the Imperial Grandmother?"

Hearing Ji Yunmeng’s question, a flash of anger swept across Pei Shuhua’s face. She increasingly felt that Ji Yunmeng’s strange actions were indeed under Emperor Zhou’s instruction.

Indeed, while the Zhou royal family did not wish for an alien king’s existence, the order to send Lu Chen to the Deceit Suppression Bureau wasn’t Emperor Zhou’s decision; it was a decree Pei Shuhua had someone obtain from Emperor Zhou, suggesting it was mainly Pei Shuhua’s idea to send Lu Chen there.

Pei Shuhua pondered whether Emperor Zhou still harbored thoughts of turning the Zhen Nan Prince Manor into his ally to regain power?

Just a puppet emperor, instead of focusing on cultivation, he dared to think about reclaiming power.

Pei Shuhua then said coldly, "Was this your father’s idea?"

Ji Yunmeng replied, "No, giving the Evil-slaying Sword to the heir of Prince Zhen Nan was my idea. Your granddaughter admires the heir of Prince Zhen Nan..."

Before Ji Yunmeng could finish speaking, Pei Shuhua interrupted sternly, "Enough! I assumed you, a pride of heaven, would have high standards, yet you’ve only increased your realm without gaining wisdom. How can you be fond of such a useless person!"

"I’ve heard that the heir of Prince Zhen Nan is exceptionally handsome in the Capital city, but in this vast world, there are all kinds of men. If it’s just his looks you like, I can find you someone even more handsome."

Ji Yunmeng said, "Your granddaughter..."

Before Ji Yunmeng could finish, she was interrupted again, "From today, you’re confined to the Princess Mansion. Without my command, you are not to go anywhere, and your people are not to visit the Zhen Nan Prince Manor!"

"Go back and reflect for me!"

Saying this, Pei Shuhua directly instructed the eunuchs and maids in the hall, "Escort Princess Yun’an out of the palace!"

Seeing Pei Shuhua unwilling to engage in further conversation, Ji Yunmeng bowed and said, "Your granddaughter takes her leave!"

Upon finishing her words, Ji Yunmeng turned and left the Empress Dowager’s palace.

Watching Ji Yunmeng’s departing figure, Pei Shuhua chuckled softly, then looked towards the direction of the Long Life Hall, saying, "It seems you are still restless."

In Pei Shuhua’s view, Ji Yunmeng’s recent actions were almost certainly directed by Emperor Zhou. Though Emperor Zhou appeared isolated, he still had supporters among the ministers, but for significant power shift, he required more strong allies.

Currently, many Earth Realm experts in the Zhou royal family stood with the Empress Dowager. To reclaim power, Emperor Zhou could only rely on external forces, among which only the Zhen Nan Prince Manor possessed sufficient strength to rival the Zhou royal family.

A gleam of cold intent passed through Pei Shuhua’s eyes, and she knew Lu Chen had to be eliminated swiftly to destroy the Zhen Nan Prince Manor completely, ensuring it wouldn’t align with Emperor Zhou.

To eradicate the Zhen Nan Prince Manor, they need not directly deploy troops; simply eliminating the only son of Prince Zhen Nan would suffice. Once Prince Zhen Nan perishes, the manor would naturally fall apart.

With this in mind, Pei Shuhua instructed a eunuch in the hall, "Go to the Pei Family, and have Duke Pei come to the palace."

...

The news of Ji Yunmeng being confined spread quickly throughout the Capital city, as people had anticipated. As a member of the royal family, yet not aligning with the royal interests and even sending a sword to the Zhen Nan Prince Manor; not having her princess title revoked was already fortunate.

At the same time.

In the Long Life Hall.

A middle-aged man donned in a black gold dragon robe sat cross-legged on a cushion, with a eunuch reporting the day’s events before him.

After hearing the eunuch’s report, Emperor Zhou’s expression remained unchanged, not showing any anger over Ji Yunmeng’s presumptuous actions.

At this moment, a shadowy figure appeared beside a pillar in the Long Life Hall, and Emperor Zhou addressed the eunuch, "You may leave."

"Yes." The eunuch acknowledged and immediately departed the hall.

Once the doors of the Long Life Hall closed again, Emperor Zhou spoke, "Back then, her mother consort died protecting Me. Now she stands up for Me again, openly opposing that one."